Inspired by Elle
Today our guest is Elle Smith From London, UK. Elle is a multi-talented creative who is exploring different areas, like art, literary work in the form of poetry and she is writing a book too. She likes to design and has just taken one of his artworks to silk, to create a stunning bolero. We have conducted an interview with her.
In what ways do you get your inspirations for your poetry and book?
The inspiration for my poetry does not come from any single source, or indeed a uniform way. Rather, I seem to have the ability to almost jump into situations and give a viewpoint from the perspective of those involved. I can even do this about topics that I don't really have background knowledge of. A great example of this would be my poems about dementia and homelessness. I always try to be authentic and give a credible account of the situations about which I write. This is very important I believe, to have real empathy and understanding. Thus far, those viewing my work have always remarked about the realism of my imagery, and sensitive manner in which the words convey those topics.
I try to write poetry that will offer something more to the reader. My poems tend to relate to current or ‘relevant’ topics, where I feel I can offer another perspective, and allow the reader to reflect in a neutral setting. Equally, some of the topics that I have written about arise from requests from friends, or the public.
Recently, I wrote a poem called the 'Enigma Code for Human Rights'. Lauri Love, who is currently, challenging his extradition to the United States, was the inspiration behind this poem. The other poem about homelessness was requested to highlight the issue of ‘being homeless’ and prompt intervention by the authorities. This was quite aptly titled ‘Any Change’.
The book that I am currently writing is inspired by some real-life events, which one might say were a twist of fate; however, this book promises to be quite gripping and unique. Hopefully, I will find a team to support me to complete the book, as it is quite a complex project.
How did you discover your multi-talents?
My talents were only brought to the surface about two years ago when someone close to me believed in me and encouraged me to develop those skills. The world would not be seeing any of my art, poetry, fashion and hopefully other creativity that I hope to reveal soon. I literally picked up some oil paints to experiment and discovered that I could paint. This was the start of the exploration of my creativity, which has led to some amazingly insightful work.
The one sad thing that I would say is that once upon a time I had some discouraging words said to me, in fact when I was a child. These comments have haunted me for many years, preventing me from exploring my potential. This is why I feel it is so important to make every child know that they are talented on some level. We focus too much on examinations in the 21st Century, rather than nurturing the person.
When did you start to create your artworks in silk?
The fashion was only commenced in Spring this year, as I looked at my painting called ‘Bird of Paradise’ and thought that it would look exquisite on silk. I wanted to make something unique rather than just a simple silk scarf, and the silk bolero scarf was exactly that. I love the idea of a fashion item that can be used in multiple ways. The scarf looks great all day long, and with most outfits, so I think it is a success. I am currently creating some more paintings to increase the scarf collection, but it takes time as each piece tells a story. It is not just a matter of placing a design on silk; the designs are composed with an educated meaning. Let me explain using the Bird of Paradise, which is a synergy of two terms to create a ‘play on words’. Firstly, you have the tropical plant on one hand, and the exotic bird of paradise in the other. The composition is then translated into oil paint, and an eye-catching design created.
What sort of creative arts do you enjoy creating the most?
You will probably not believe this but it is creativity in the kitchen, specifically novelty and celebration cakes. This has probably really surprised you but I love making and icing cakes, as well as general cooking. My talent here has extended to making wedding cakes with some very intricate designs. I remember making a rosebud cake for a friend with an array of types and colours of roses. This cake was stunning, but sadly I did not see it assembled with all the tiers together.
What is your background?
Well, my background is very varied and not what you would expect. I try to keep my different worlds apart as I am actually extremely academic, and it does ‘amuse’ me as often people dismiss me as an artist and poet, forming judgments that I must somehow not have any intellect. Of course, this is completely untrue!
